Mark does Italy

Mark just got back from a week in Italy - two days flying, three days in Milan for work, and two days to see the sites of Rome. We exchanged many cryptic text messages about his cheap lodgings and my long nights with teething Claire. In the end, we all had a great time. He spent hours and hours in museums I would have considered torturous, walked 800 miles, saw the Vatican, the Coliseum and the Trevi fountains, had some terrible manicotti, and shared a bathroom at his "hotel." My parents came to stay which means that, more or less, I had a live-in cook, chaffeur, and 24-hour babysitting for 4 whole days. We hope to see Italy as a family some day in the future - minus the budget hotel and bad pasta. He took a picture of his murky manicotti, but I decided to post the coliseum instead - much more beautiful.

Another great quote from Audrey

On our way to do a little browsing at a local resale shop:
"What do you buy at a sucking-hand store?

Mommy at 6 pm

Here's what I look like at the end of a long day in mommyland. Notice the scraggly hair and dazed expression. What you can't see is the jumble of toys, crackers, cheerios, books, and rejected clothing that's piled knee-high all around me. I hear these are the best times of my life - but that's only from people whose children are all grown and wiping their own bottoms, as well is living on their own and holding down jobs, etc. But, yes, it's true, these are good times, despite my being in charge of the bowel movements of two people other than myself. No, really, these are the good times, but being a mom is hard! I love my kids like crazy - and I go a little crazy trying to keep up with them. Melissa

A few good laughs...

Audrey has delivered some killer lines this week. Hope you enjoy them, too.

On trying on swimwear:
In the dressing room at the mall today, shopping for a swimming suit, Audrey said something NO female has ever said before:
"Oh, I LOVE trying on bathing suits!"

On being nutty:
Audrey: "I'm a peanut."
Mark: "What kind of nut is Claire? A walnut?
Audrey: "Yeah."
Mark: "What kind of nut is Daddy? A pine nut?
Audrey: "Yeah."
Mark: "What kind of nut is mommy?"
Audrey: "A donut!"
(note from Melissa: Mark's back was turned to me during this funny little exchange. However, I could almost see his brain go into overdrive trying to come up with a nut that would characterize me appropriately. He could not have been prouder than when Audrey said it for him.)

On daddy's "anatomy":
"His front looks like a turkey."